Edward B. Emerson. Search for a history of insanity in the 19th Century
Location
2077
Format Type
Paper
Format Type
Workshop
Start Date
9-1-2015 12:00 AM
End Date
9-1-2015 12:00 AM
Abstract
In 1828, Edward Bliss Emerson, brother of Ralph Waldo Emerson, suffered a complete mental collapse that required hospitalization for five months, at the McLean Asylum. This condition has been modernly characterized as a “manic depression,” attributed to his obsessive personality and study habits. Neither in his travel diaries, nor in his family letters, there is a testimony of this ailment. This study of an account of his insanity uses family and friends narratives, as well as secondary sources. Our interpretation offers a multilayer cultural portrait of a mental illness at the time.
Edward B. Emerson. Search for a history of insanity in the 19th Century
2077
In 1828, Edward Bliss Emerson, brother of Ralph Waldo Emerson, suffered a complete mental collapse that required hospitalization for five months, at the McLean Asylum. This condition has been modernly characterized as a “manic depression,” attributed to his obsessive personality and study habits. Neither in his travel diaries, nor in his family letters, there is a testimony of this ailment. This study of an account of his insanity uses family and friends narratives, as well as secondary sources. Our interpretation offers a multilayer cultural portrait of a mental illness at the time.
Comments
Breakout Session D